NEWS ANALYSIS: On June 27, the Vatican released the instrumentum laboris for the October Extraordinary Synod on Marriage and the Family.

ANDREA GAGLIARDUCCI

VATICAN CITY — The Synod of Bishops’ June 27 instrumentum laboris (working document) for the upcoming Synod on Marriage and the Family contained no doctrinal surprises, but it noted that neither the faithful nor the Church’s ministers are fully aware of the teaching of the Church.

Participants at the synod will use this document to prepare for the Oct. 5-16 gathering. Divided into three parts and based on the responses to the 38-question questionnaire sent to bishops’ conferences all over the world, the instrumentum laboris is a snapshot about the realities Catholics face in society today.

“The synod will represent an analysis of the pastoral and social situation,” said Cardinal Peter Erdo, archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest and general relator for the synod, on June 26. “It is the first stage of a wider process. After this extraordinary synod, there will be another one, which will provide a more in-depth reflection on how to address the numerous challenges to families and, at the same time, how to evaluate the family as the active subject of evangelization.”

Better Education

Education is the first issue the synod fathers have to address. According to the instrumentum laboris, the documents on the magisterium of the family issued after the Second Vatican Council (that is, elaborating on the new approach provided by the Council) “do not seem to have taken a foothold in the faithful’s mentality” (11). The information underscores that “some responses clearly state that the faithful have no knowledge of these documents, while others mention that they are viewed, especially by laypeople with prior preparation, as rather ‘exclusive’ or ‘limited to a few’ and require some effort to take them and study them.” The problem is “that, oftentimes, people without due preparation find difficulty reading these documents.”

Connected to the faithful’s lack of formation is the formation of the clergy. The synod’s paper said that in the judgment of some of the faithful, clergy “are not sufficiently familiar with the documentation on marriage and the family, nor do they seem to have the resources for development in these areas” (12). The shepherds “sometimes feel so unsuited and ill-prepared to treat issues regarding sexuality, fertility and procreation that they often choose to remain silent.”

The responses from the questionnaire also voice “a certain dissatisfaction with some members of the clergy who appear indifferent to moral teachings. Their divergence from Church doctrine leads to confusion among the people of God.”

Paragraphs 20-30 deal with natural law and its relation to the Church’s teaching on marriage and family life. The text states, “In a vast majority of responses and observations, the concept of natural law today turns out to be, in different cultural contexts, highly problematic, if not completely incomprehensible.”

In addition, the document said, “The responses very often stress the need for a family ministry, which provides systematic and ongoing formation on the value of marriage as a vocation and the rediscovery of parenting (fatherhood and motherhood) as a gift” (49).

Msgr. Livio Melina, the president of the John Paul II Institute in Rome, told the Register June 27 that “the instrumentum laboris’ emphasis on the importance of formation recalls that the pastoral care of the family must be founded on truth.”

‘Difficult Pastoral Situations’

Part 2 of the instrumentum laboris focuses on the central challenges facing today’s families: the fatherlessness that “causes major imbalances in households and uncertainty” in sexual identity in children (64); the breakup and breakdown of families, “the first and foremost being a couple’s divorce and separation” (65); sexual violence, trafficking and exploitation of children (66-67); and the dependence on media and social networks that “can be a real impediment to dialogue among family members” (68).

Other critical challenges are migration, poverty, consumerism, wars, the approach to illness (especially HIV/AIDS) and the diversity of religion among married couples.

All of these challenges lead to “difficult pastoral situations,” addressed in the third part of the working document.

“From every part of the world, the responses note an increasing number of couples who live together ad experimentum (on an experimental basis) in unions that have not been religiously or civilly recognized nor officially registered in any way” (81).

The issue of same-sex “marriage” is also discussed. The document states that “the responses are clearly opposed to legislation that would allow the adoption of children by persons in a same-sex union, because they see a risk to the integral good of the child, who has the right to have a mother and father, as pointed out recently by Pope Francis (‘Address to Members of the International Catholic Child Bureau (BICE),’ April 11, 2014 ).”

Divorce and Remarriage

In discussing the issue of pastoral care for civilly divorced-and-remarried Catholics, the working document notes the “very high numbers” of “separated, divorced or divorced-and-remarried” Catholics in Europe and the United States, whereas the number is lower in Africa and Asia. It went on to focus on pastoral care for children of separated/divorced couples.

In the case of the accessibility to the sacraments for people who are living in canonical irregularity (divorced-and-remarried people), the document again said the real focus should be on education, since “those living in such canonically irregular situations display various attitudes, ranging from their being entirely unaware of their irregular situation to their consciously enduring the difficulties created by their irregular situation” (89).

The document stresses the need for mercy and pastoral care for those who truly suffer in their irregular conditions and also highlights the requests of some of the faithful, especially in North America and Europe, for “streamlining the procedure for marriage annulments. In this regard, they see a need to investigate the question of the relationship between faith and the sacrament of matrimony, as suggested by Pope Benedict XVI on several occasions.”

Bishop Bruno Forte, bishop of Chieti-Vasto and secretary of the synod, pointed out during a June 26 press conference, “The medicine of mercy doesn’t have the goal to approve of shipwrecks, but the goal to provide the castaways the needed welcome, care and support.” If this is not understood, he added, “what the synod will say or state on the situation of divorced, divorced-and-remarried, cohabitating couples, de facto unions or same-sex unions will be misunderstood.”

Future Challenges

Knowledge of Church teaching regarding contraception was also addressed in the instrumentum laboris.

“A vast majority of responses” in the questionnaire “emphasize how the moral evaluation of the different methods of birth control is commonly perceived today as an intrusion in the intimate life of the couple and an encroachment on the autonomy of conscience” (123).

Msgr. Melina stressed that “after the promulgation of Humanae Vitaeand the crisis caused by the reception of this document within the ecclesiastical community, there has been too much focus on casuistry,” and this is the reason why “there was the inability of developing, receiving and understanding all the richness and the novelty which the theology of the body of St. John Paul II offered to the Church.”

Silence from the pulpit has allowed the popular culture to frame the discussion regarding contraception, abortion and same-sex “marriage.” Our young people are bombarded with talk about the “war on women” (supposedly perpetrated by anyone who questions free contraception as a woman’s right,) the right to “love” anyone of your choosing (love now meaning engage in sex and have this relationship applauded and enshrined in law) and the depiction of anyone who speaks against these newly found “rights” as bigots and homophobes. The Church’s teaching on these hot-button moral issues is complete, consistent and logical, inspired by the Holy Spirit and backed up by centuries of study and research. Hearing this from the pulpit will help us in the battle to take back our culture.

Posted by Tom in AZ on Friday, Jul, 4, 2014 6:26 PM (EST):

@ANNE: I am neither a heretic nor a schismatic, but I am not a fan of the CCC, because it is very badly written. Its discussion of just war is phrased so as to impose a standard of certainty that no war in history (nor any other human endeavor) ever met; its discussion of torture doesn’t mention “gaining intelligence” as a circumstance where torture isn’t permitted. That the dogmas it sets forth are infallible doesn’t change the fact it sets them forth in a very truncated form, sometimes with clumsy wordings or wholesale omissions (I don’t THINK it’s a result of the translation; I think that those flaws are present in the French original). Yes, to do justice to every issue the Catechism has to address would require several volumes; that didn’t stop Aquinas when he wrote the Summa, and more than one person (and a secretary) is involved in writing the Catechism (and they aren’t simultaneously writing other books—Aquinas had a habit of dictating to multiple secretaries at once, which a student of Mortimer Adler, I think, said was a better argument for God than any of the Five Ways).

Posted by Theresa H on Thursday, Jul, 3, 2014 11:36 PM (EST):

From my understanding, the purpose of the official “Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition” was revised with the intent of being the comprehensive edition expressing the fullness of Catholic faith/life—covering the Profession of Faith (Creed), Life in Christ (Morals), Sacraments, and Prayer. This catechism was intended to be the source from which all other (shall I say “simpler”) Catechisms for various age groups would draw—to ensure unity in the teaching. I am involved in a weekly Study Group of the CCC. The “study” is not of the usual sort: the small group simply enjoys reading the Catechism together and talking about what we are reading, as individually prompted—always staying close to the teaching. (One of the group has a MTS Degree, so that is also helpful.)

Posted by ANNE on Thursday, Jul, 3, 2014 9:52 PM (EST):

Civility. the Baltimore Catechism is great. It was written for young elementary school age children. The question and answers are like: “Why did God Make You?” - “To know love and serve Him in this world and to be happy with him in heaven”.
It was never even intended for even junior high age.
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If you read the Introduction in the “Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which was written by Pope Benedict, he clearly states: “the Compendium is not a work that stands alone, nor is it intended in any way to replace the Catechism of the Catholic Church: instead it refers constantly to the Catechism by means of reference numbers printed in the margins, as well as by consistent reliance on the structure, development and contents. In fact the Compendium is meant to reawaken interest in and enthusiasm for the Catechism, which, in the wisdom of its presentation and the depth of its’ spirituality, always remains the basic text for catechesis in the Church today.”
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The “Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition” is easy to read and understand for any literate person over age 15.
My older teen children have read it.
It’s great preparation prior to leaving for college. They understood it easily. If they can read Harry Potter, they can read the CCC.
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What Church teaching in the CCC don’t you understand? Give us the paragraph number and we can help you. I’ll let my children help you.
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Don’t try to discourage others from knowing their Faith.
I usually find those who try to discourage others, as one who dislikes one or more teachings of the Faith, and doesn’t want everyone to know that particular teaching.
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Heretics and schismatics hate the CCC. Because then they can not spread their nonsense - when the majority know the truth.
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“If the salt loses it’s saltiness it will be thrown out and get trampled up on by men….

and going still further, “Will there be FAITH left on earth when The Son of man comes back…

Posted by Theresa H on Thursday, Jul, 3, 2014 2:42 PM (EST):

Most certainly, there is a humungous need for adult catechesis (from 21-90 yrs old!) as well as catechesis of pre-adults according to their age level….We are immersed, we are sinking in an anti-faith, anti-Christian culture. I recently read an Article summarizing St. Pope JPII’s Apostolic Exhortation: “The Church in Europe,” written back in 2003! The title of the Article is: “Will the Son of Man find faith in Europe?” The question is expanded in the Apostolic Exhortation and reads: “When the Son of man comes will He find faith on earth? (Lk 18:8) Will He find faith in our countries, in this Europe of ancient Christian tradition? This is an open question which clearly reveals the depth and the drama of one of the most serious challenges which our Churches are called to face.” In sum, we are being swallowed up by a secular culture and “the challenge is not so much in baptizing new converts as enabling those already baptized to be converted to Christ and his Gospel.” Seems to me this saintly Pope of our times had “insight” that should shake us and wake us up to what is going on in this day of the “great battle.” Pray to St. Michael, the Archangel daily.

Posted by Civility on Thursday, Jul, 3, 2014 2:18 PM (EST):

“Just Sayin’” included in his recent post the merits of the 1997 Catechism of the Catholic Church, that every home should possess it, that every priest know it intimately. In theory I would agree with him, but I find the CCC a perfectly awful text for instructional purposes except, perhaps, among the most literate. No wonder compendia were subsequently published by others; no one can understand the esoteric CCC. Shameful.

In my opinion, the humble 1962 Baltimore Catechism, if it were very modestly updated, is a far better instructional tool, especially in view of the religious illiterates that constitute easily 90% of the baptized today. Failure to acknowledge simple realities like this render the Catholic Church more impotent and irrelevant.

Posted by Civility on Thursday, Jul, 3, 2014 11:16 AM (EST):

I for one have very low expectations for a purposeful synod and for its outcome this coming October. That the synod’s participants hope they can get ahead of the curve on the crucial marriage and family issues at this late date is both sad and laughable.
Any bishop, any theologian, any priest, who is honest, acknowledges that the documents of the Second Vatican Council are pretty worthless, not least because virtually all Catholics neither know them nor care in 2014. Further, Paul VI’s vision, if one can call it that, as expressed in Humanae Vitae, placed a ridiculous burden on faithful and confessors alike.
Authentic, carefully-honed catechesis was destroyed by the Council, and drivel taught by well-meaning housewives replaced it. No wonder Catholics and non-Catholics scorn and ridicule the Church’s teachings across the board.
In my opinion, the Universal Church today is reaping the harvest of what the Council fathers criminally intended: destroy the Church’s magisterium, Her liturgy, her relevance altogether.
The October synod of bishops is likely to accomplish nothing of value. Nevertheless I live in Hope.

Posted by mrscracker on Thursday, Jul, 3, 2014 8:43 AM (EST):

JohnN ,
The problem needs to be addressed by proper catechesis.Which is what “additional teaching” refers to.
And sure, we have free will & it’s a fallen world. Folks can choose to ignore Christ’s teachings & rely on popular culture/philosophies to fill their needs. And many have done just that since day one.Seriously, why did St. Paul have to write all those letters? Folks even got it wrong while Christ still walked the Earth.It’s in our nature to stray from or ignore the truth.
The Church needs to preserve His teachings & Sacraments for those same straying folk who eventually may discover the emptiness of pop culture & it’s shifting markets & want to return to what is unchanging & true.
We have to do the very best job in teaching those truths in the first place.Stray if you must, but at least understand what you are walking away from.And if, please God, you return, the Church will still be there to welcome you home.

Posted by ANNE on Thursday, Jul, 3, 2014 8:30 AM (EST):

- - Diocese Bishops need to take the blame for not requiring that all their Priests study and review the CCC in entirety.
- - Bishops need to take the blame for not actively, prominently and publically promoting the reading and study of the CCC by the Laity.
- - Bishops need to take the blame for the homilies of their Diocese Priests which never include the last 4 things of Death, Judgment, Heaven and Hell; nor about Sacrilege, or Mortal Sin,
nor about Jesus’s words in Lk 13:22-28, & Mt 7:13-14.
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Many Souls will be lost due to lack of adequate teaching. And the Bishops will be judged as well as their Diocese Priests accordingly.
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Posted by ANNE on Thursday, Jul, 3, 2014 7:54 AM (EST):

Instrumentum Laboris ...“noted that neither the faithful nor the Church’s ministers are fully aware of the teaching of the Church”.
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This is so sad because in 1997 the Magisterium gave the Faithful the “CATECHISM of the CATHOLIC CHURCH, second edition” (aka CCC).
The CCC must become a REQUIRED text at all seminaries, all convents, all Catholic schools starting with grade 11; and certainly all Catholic Universities.
No Catholic home should be without a Catholic Bible and the CCC.
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There is no excuse for any Bishop, Priest or literate Lay person not to know the Doctrine of the Faith in entirety since it is contained in the CCC.
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“ The Catechism of the Catholic Church, which I approved … and the publication of which I today order by virtue of my Apostolic Authority, is a statement of the Church’s faith and of catholic doctrine, attested to or illumined by Sacred Scripture, the Apostolic Tradition and the Church’s Magisterium.” - Pope John Paul II (CCC page 5)
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“….the CATECHISM has raised throughout the world, even among non-Christians, and confirms its purpose of being presented as a full, complete exposition of Catholic doctrine, enabling everyone to know what the Church professes, celebrates, lives, and prays in her daily life.” – Pope John Paul II (CCC pg xiv)
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“….. let us ask ourselves if we have actually taken a few steps to get to know Christ and the truths of faith more, by reading and meditating on the Scriptures, studying the Catechism, steadily approaching the Sacraments.” Pope Francis, May 15, 2013.
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Posted by just sayin' on Thursday, Jul, 3, 2014 7:36 AM (EST):

The assumption seems to be that if only the Church can find different words with which to convey her teachings, Catholics will magically start believing them. What reason do we have to believe that is true? I know many Catholics who are quite educated and well-read on many documents in the Church, and they still don’t accept all her teachings. It’s hard not to suspect that better teaching might just not be the solution.

And with the priest shortage worsening and church closings a common event, how are priests supposed to find the time to minister to all these people in irregular situations? Priests are more and more hard pressed simply to find the time to administer the sacraments, much less figure out how to educate the masses with whatever new language the Church comes up with to communicate the hard teachings.

Whatever happens, it is bound to be interesting.

Posted by Bert on Thursday, Jul, 3, 2014 7:08 AM (EST):

JohnN: There’s not much that can be done about people ignoring teachings but I get the sense that they will at least try to explain and clarify the teachings. This will hopefully “help” people not “ignore” the teachings. At least those who will be teaching and aren’t ignoring Church teachings will be better off.

Posted by Bob on Wednesday, Jul, 2, 2014 4:56 PM (EST):

How can the family be addressed when they seem to be evading discussing homosexual “marriage” and the sheer numbers of homosexual priests?

Posted by JohnN on Wednesday, Jul, 2, 2014 3:45 PM (EST):

This document refers to the fact that the teachings of the Church on the subject of families/sexuality have not been studied adequately neither by the laity nor by the clergy. It also seems to suggest that more teaching is needed. And yet is not the real problem not in the teaching and the understanding but rather in the fact that people just ignore the teachings. Is there not an obvious risk that ‘additional teaching’ will also just be ignored.

One large archdiocese recently published a report showing that over the past ten years the number of marriages and christenings has halved. Again this tends to show that the Church is just being ignored.

How is that problem going to be addressed?

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